


What is in a Name?

by LunarCatNinja



Category: Naruto
Genre: Exceptions: Touka and Hashirama, Not Nice Senju Clan, non-Senju Tobirama
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2019-03-10
Packaged: 2019-09-29 15:39:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17206130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunarCatNinja/pseuds/LunarCatNinja
Summary: After being exiled from the Senju clan against his brother’s and cousin’s wishes, Tobirama must go and make a place for himself. And if he finds out more about himself than he ever thought possible along the way? Well, he has always loved learning.





	1. Prologue

“I’ll do it.”

Dead silence. Then-

“Tobi, what?! You can’t-"

Tobirama lifts up a hand for silence. “I’ll leave. I’ll take only what I’ve bought with my own funds with me, and I’ll leave and allow myself to be exiled... On the condition that _when_ Anija convinces the Uchiha to make peace the Clan accepts it.” Gazing at the assembled Senju, Tobirama ignores the outrage on the faces of Hashirama and Touka. 

“Accepted. Now be gone from these lands!” The Elders glare in disgust as Tobirama merely nods before leaving. “Now wait just a minute! Tobi you can’t!” Hashirama follows Tobirama out the door as Touka glares at the Elders and the rest of the Clan before following them out. 

Making it to his now former room Tobirama pauses to consider what he will bring. Making a decision, he ignores Hashirama’s pleading and grabs his happuri and then turns to Touka who just entered the room. “Here. You will find a better use for it than I. May it protect you as it had me.”

“You can’t really just. Just _leave_ Tobi! What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that the Clan would revolt and exile me anyway and it would be better to use it to our benefit. Most of the Clan wants peace at this point, but not all of them. However...” Here he pauses in discomfort. “However, _all_ of the Clan besides you and Anija want me gone. Better to get them all to agree now instead of waiting for them to rebel later. Either way I would be exiled.”

“It’s not right.” Touka and Tobirama look to Hashirama at his tone of voice. “It’s not _right_ Tobi!” Choking off a sob Hashirama rubs his eyes. With a soft look Tobirama steps forward and hugs his brother. “I am sorry Anija. I wish you well.” With a final squeeze Tobirama ends the hug to give one to Touka before grabbing his sword and fur along with a few personal items such as a blanket and picture. 

Considering the items, Tobirama grabs a sealing kit before going to a mirror and drawing a storage seal over his heart. Finishing, he double checks his work before sealing the items away. Giving one last look to his family he gives a small, sad smile and leaves the Senju compound.  
For the last time.


	2. Chapter 1

It’s been six weeks since Tobirama left. Touka has taken to wearing his happuri with a solemn honor, ‘and yet…’ Hashirama muses, ‘and yet here I am, with nothing to remember him by except the empty spot in my life he used to fill.’

Glaring at his paperwork, Hashirama releases an upset sigh. Turning his eyes, he looks at the half finished request to Madara for peace. ‘Maybe… Maybe if I can finally convince Madara for peace, then we can make the village. The Elders can’t forbid Tobi from being in the village made up of multiple clans after all.’ With that sudden realization, Hashirama takes the peace request and starts working on it with renewed vigor.

‘If Tobi can’t live here, then he will live in the village. I am not letting my little brother go. Not again.’ A pause of consideration. ‘I wonder what he’s up to now? I hope he’s eating enough.’

~~~

Tobirama is not eating enough. With a huff he glares in the direction that the game he was trying to catch ran off in. It turns out that chakra can only do so much when your only weapon is a sword. He does not have the materials to make traps, and he can’t go into towns to make money for food or other materials, because all the towns are suddenly rather… Hostile. ‘It’s probably the Elder’s fault’ Tobirama muses, ‘they’ve always had it out for me, and it’s just the sort of pettiness I’d expect from them.’

With a put upon sigh Tobirama considers his options. Walking towards where he senses a river is Tobirama debates on his chances of catching fish.

As he approaches his destination he suddenly hears a splashing sound from the river which draws his attention. Coming out of the water is a rather large and colorful toad that appears to be wearing clothing of all things.

“Yo!”

With a startled look Tobirama takes a step back from the apparently _talking_ toad. “I am not starving enough to be hallucinating yet.” Not expecting such a deadpan and blunt response the toad sweat drops. 

“No. No you aren’t hallucinating. I’m a toad from Mt. Myōboku in the Land of Toads!” At the blank look he receives the toad continues, “You know, of the summoning realms? An-Anyway my name is Gamahide!”

“… Right. Maybe one of those plants I foraged earlier was actually poisoness…” Turning around, Tobirama starts to walk off before Gamahide interrupts, “Hey wait! I saw you were having some trouble hunting and I figured I’d help you out! Summon to… Kind of summon. Half summon? Anyhow, I can help you out!”

“I am not part summon.” A wind blows between them as they stare at each other, each equally incredulous. Finally, with of huff of exasperation, Tobirama breaks the standoff, “…You know what? Fine. Obviously I am too far gone to be helped. I might as well just go with it.”

“I’m going to pretend I didn’t hear most of that and just focus on you saying yes!” With a grin the toad hops closer. “Well first thing we need to do is get you used to the nature chakra that makes up most of your body!”

“Nature chakra? I can harness that?” Sure he has always sensed it before, but he never thought he could harness it. He can’t harness other people’s chakra after all, so why would nature chakra be any different? Also, it makes up most of his body? Since when? The other people he senses don’t have nature chakra…

Unaware of the running thoughts of his new student, Gamahide continues his explanation, “Well yeah! But you have to be careful, lest you turn into stone!” Ignoring the startled and hesitant look on Tobirama’s face, Gamahide explains the basics of drawing nature chakra. Once finished hearing the explanation, Tobirama nods slowly as he processes the new information. “Well I suppose I can give it a try. It isn’t like I have anything left to lose at this point.”

With new determination Tobirama focuses on the chakra he’s always felt around him. Reaching out gives Tobirama a slight sense of relief from an itch he has always had, but never bothered to scratch. How could he when it calls him to leave his home? His brother? But he doesn’t have to worry about that anymore. Perhaps it makes him selfish, but his brother’s dream of peace was only part of his reason he agreed so readily to be exiled. He has always wanted to roam freely and now that he has the chance.

A sudden surge of power rises at that thought as he finally touches upon the natural chakra of the world. With thoughts of running freely going through his head, Tobirama feels the world _shift_ around him. Suddenly his cloths rip and tear and he hurries to pull them off as his body flows into a new form. Two legs become four. Fur sprouts upon his body in waves. Bones creak. 

Finally the shift is over with. Where a man stood before now stands a giant feline. Walking to the river (and how strange is it to walk now with more legs than before), Tobirama looks over his new form. The body mostly resembles a tiger, but there seems to be influence from a snow leopard’s body too. Especially in the markings, and pushing past all of that he also notices that… That the itch is almost gone. Muted to the point he can barely tell it is there, and he just _knows_ that if he runs now it will be _gone completely_.

“Wow.” Turning Tobirama looks at Gamahide and tilts his head in question as if to ask ‘What now?’

“Well. You’ve changed. You seem like you understand it much better than I thought you would… Now I guess you just need to hunt your food huh? So long my cat formed friend!”

Tobirama sends a bewildered look towards Gamahide as he hops off into the river and disappears. ‘So much for teaching me.’ Snorting he turns and sniffs there air. ‘There’ he thinks as he catches the scent of the game he was hunting earlier. With a grin that looks strange upon his new feline face, Tobirama bounds off to give chase to his new dinner.

~~~

Seasons pass. Winter comes and his fur has become raggedy with lack of care. The amount of game in the areas he has been hunting grows small. Despite his poor appearance and failing health he manages to catch one last meal.

As he eats more of his meal his senses catch the feeling of someone… familiar approaching. Keeping half his attention on the approaching figure, Tobirama finishes his meal when suddenly the figure that walked into the clearing stops. At the sound of them stepping back onto a branch, Tobirama looks up while licking his paw clean. Waiting to see what _Madara Uchiha_ is doing out here.

“Uuuuuh. Hello? Niiiiice kitty. Goooood kitty... I would make an awful snack!”

Tobirama takes a moment to process that statement before chuffing out a laugh at the ridiculous assumption. Then he inclines his head and walks away. No need to have to put up with the Uchiha when he is obviously off his game after all.

After leaving the clearing he pauses as he hears what sounded like Madara exclaiming something about how he was lost, but that can’t be right can it? Shaking his head from such a silly thought Tobirama continues on. 

~~~

He was lost. _Izuna must never know!_ How did he get lost?! Stupid Elders making him take this stupid mission in the stupid snow. He was the Clan head! He shouldn’t have- wait. What is _that?!_

Freezing Madara looks into the clearing he was just about to enter to see a giant cat. The tiger (But not?) was casually licking its paws after apparently finishing its meal. Slowly Madara stepped back before a crack was heard. The strange (BIG, how did it grow so big?) animal turned to look straight at him. 

“Uuuuuh. Hello? Niiiiice kitty. Goooood kitty... I would make an awful snack!”

The (summons perhaps?) looked at him intently for a moment before chuffing what appeared to be a laugh. Then the beast inclined its head in some form of acknowledgement before calmly walking away. 

“Huh... Okay then.” A pause. “Wait I’m still lost!”

At least once he’s done with this mission he’ll know the way and won’t be lost anymore…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I hope y'all enjoyed the prologue and chapter 1 of my first chaptered story, and if you have any suggestions on what you'd like to see next (more of this, more Tobirama Addams, that other story) then feel free to let me know! Otherwise it'll probably either be this or more Tobirama Addams.


	3. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got some time skips to move the story along. Explanations for a few things in the chapter in the bottom notes.

The sun was shining among the snow through the trees. It was quiet. Until Madara walked by.

“I can’t believe I’m lost again...” Dejectedly Madara kicks a rock as he mutters “First I get lost on the WAY to complete the mission and now I’m lost coming back! How is this my life? It can’t be natural...”

A pause. ‘Maybe that strange cat...?’ Shaking his head, Madara dismisses the thought before considering just how bad off the feline looked. ‘I hope he’s okay… Not that I should care, but I do.’ Catching sight of the same cat he was just thinking about he talks without thinking, “Oh. Hello again?” 

Wearily he keeps an eye on the (admittedly beautiful despite his poor state) creature waiting to see its reaction. After a brief moment of consideration on the creature’s apparent intelligence, Madara asks “Are you a summon?”

The creature shakes its head in an obvious no before pausing and considering the question before raising its paw in a so-so manner. 

“Well you are or you aren’t!” With a huff Madara relaxes slightly at the lack of aggression shown. “Well I suppose you have a name if you are intelligent?”

At the question the creature turns visibly annoyed before turning away to wander off.

“Hey wait!” At the shout the cat pauses and tilts its head in question. “I just want to know what I should call you. Creature isn’t a name after all and neither is cat. I’d like something to call you by in my memories. You are rather stunning to look at and I feel...” Here Madara pauses to consider his next words. “Some sort of bond. Between us.” At the cat’s sudden look of incredulousness Madara rushes to finish, “I know what you’re thinking! But despite only seeing you twice I am rather drawn to you for some reason.” Gaining a tentative look on his face Madara asks “Do you need a place to stay? I know food opportunities around here are slim, and the Uchiha lands have a lot more game to hunt there.”

Taking in the rather poor appearance of the cat, Madara sincerely hopes his offer is accepted. He might not know _why_ he is so drawn to the creature, enough so that his mind was constantly filled with it during his mission, but he feels as if he _needs_ to make sure the creature is well and taken care of.

After what feels like too long a time to come to a decision, the creature nods it’s acceptance before walking next to Madara in askance of where they are going. 

“Aaaah... is this a bad time to mention I’m lost?”

With a look of disbelief the cat _rolls its eyes_ (and isn’t that rude? Not that Madara knew cats could do that) and then focuses on something before taking off in a seemingly random direction. It pauses long enough to look at Madara as if asking “You coming or what?” before casually trotting off. 

~~~

Winter turns into spring and Tobirama, still transformed as a giant tiger, is napping in the sun. Not knowing why, he trusts Madara that he is safe here on Uchiha lands and by the compound. Despite the initial fear reaction, the Uchiha as a whole seem to accept his presence. Madara himself is more than Tobirama expected. He is always taking the time to see to his care, brushing his fur, and being genuinely nice. Tobirama enjoys their shared silences most of all, where Madara just lounges nearby and they both sleep the day away. Those days are few and far in between with the war though...

Today just so happens to be a day where Madara is too busy to see him, and so he sleeps the day away by himself. His eyelids move as he dreams of the past.

________

_Tobirama, with tiger ears and tail and only a few months old, was laughing at a man whose face could not be seen. His mother holds him as the man wiggles his fingers and coos at him.  
“What a delightful child we have,” the man, presumably his birth father, says as he looks to Tobirama’s mother. “He will save- and restore-” whatever the man is saying fades in and out before hearing, “That is his duty. He shall be named Tobirama. Maybe it help him and guide him on his journey….” The man’s voice fades as does the dream._

__________

_A sudden shift and suddenly Tobirama is two and looking at a tall man. (Human? Why has mother brought us to a human?) The man looks at Tobirama’s mother. (Why? Only Father should look at Mother is such a way! But where is Father? Haven’t seen him in so long…) Then the man looks towards Tobirama. When the man tilts his head in an accessing manner, Tobirama realizes he has been growling. Life has not been kind to Tobirama or his mother. Both of them are wearing rags and filthy. Starving._

_With a contemplative hum the man turns back to Tobirama’s mother. “I will accept you both. Your offer to become my second wife to give me more heirs that my deceased first wife could not give me has sound reasoning. I will even adopt your son as my third child though he will be last to inherit to any of my blood sons.” A glance back at Tobirama who bares his teeth in a snarl, “However he will have to be reintroduced to civilized behavior. No son of mine will be so feral.” Reaching out his hand slowly to not startled mother or son, Butsuma Senju softly grasps Tobirama’s mother’s hand and the scene fades once again._

__________

_The new scene focuses in on Tobirama who, no more than a year older than before, growls and hisses as he is dragged into a washroom. “You are absolutely filthy! I know you don’t like this sweetheart, but we need the Senju. We need their protection! And that means you must try and learn their customs. I never wanted you to be like this… To have had to _live_ like that…” At his mother’s crying Tobirama stops struggling to let out a little ‘merr?’ in question. Sniffling Tobirama’s mother gives him a wet smile, “please my son? Let’s get you cleaned up alright?” Hissing a little in distaste, Tobirama lets his mother guide him to the bath as a worried frown crosses his face at his mother’s pale form._

__________

_Fading in, the scene focuses on Tobirama, now in clean clothing and well groomed. He appears to be five years old and looking at his new brothers. (But not new? But not accepted yet… Mother is gone… All alone.) Suddenly the youngest and Tobirama’s only blood relative left toddles up to him. “Aniki! Aniki!” Itama grins and reaches up with chubby arms. ‘Perhaps not so alone?’ As if that realization was a gateway (or door?) Hashirama rushes over too. “Group hug! Come on little brothers!” Dragging Kawarama with him means that all four Senju brothers end up in a pile on the floor._

_“You looked sad Tobi. There’s no need for that! We are family, so if you ever need anything just ask!” With a blinding grin, Hashirama finishes his statement with a massive hug. It takes little time before the hug turns into a tickle war and the scene fades with Tobirama laughing with his brothers._

~~~

Tobirama wakes from his dream slowly. A rustle nearby draws his attention to the small Uchiha child creeping up on him. “Are you okay Mister Tiger? You are leaking water! From your eyes!” The child in question can’t be more than a few years old. A brave child to be sure. If Tobirama wasn’t at the Uchiha compound he’d wonder if the child was actually an Uchiha with how curly the child’s hair is.

Shaking his head, as it to remove any lingering sadness, Tobirama stretches before giving the child a soft look. Stepping forward, Tobirama nuzzles the child before walking closer to the kitchens. All that napping has made him hungry. 

Ignoring the yelps of startled Uchiha, Tobirama makes his way to the cook, imploring for food with his eyes. ‘Perhaps I’ve gone a bit soft’ he muses to himself as he watches the cook scurry off to grab him some food, ‘or perhaps overly content is a better description. I should look for a place to move into now that it’s spring. I shouldn’t rely on the Uchiha any longer.’ Once the food is presented to him, (Half a boar! The Uchiha must have gotten a bigger haul then normal) Tobirama grabs his food and takes it outside to consume with only one errant thought in his head, ‘Hm… I might even have enough strength soon to change back to my human form.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes Tobirama is adopted by the Senju. In this, Hashirama is the oldest, and Kawarama is about Tobirama's age, if a bit older, and Itama is the youngest. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably going to be my longest story. I have lots of world building done for something that started as a brief drabble idea... So if you have any questions feel free to ask!


End file.
